Resilient driving connection.



G. M. EATON.

RESILIENT omvmc cowwscnow.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 14. 1916.

m: m m

m .3 m m mm a.

m r m m w i um I 9. 12 2U R u m. i Nn my W0 NH T E II dw Q @4 E m m B Pe 0 P O 8 Q WITNESSES AT'TORNEY G. M. EATON. RESILIENT DRIVINGCONNEQTiON.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 14. 19h

0m 1 9 1 1L v 1 V 0 N d .w m t a D1 fill ill! I I///// m m M 9 U1 r o eG WITNESSES ATTORNEY e. EATON. RESILIENT DRI.'ING CONNECTION.APPLICATION FIL'ED OCT. I4. I9I6.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

INVENTOR Georcga M. Eoefon.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY i a. citizen of the United States, and

.motors to the driving wheels of electric rail- STATES lATENT ()mnron.

GEORGE M. Ema, or PIT'fSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSEELEcmI AnD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A conrona'rmn or PENNSYLVANIA.

' BESILIENT DRIVING CONNECTION.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Not 11, 1919.

Application filed October 14, 1916. Serial No. 125,636.

To all idiom, it may canoe-m .Be it known that. I, 'Gnonen IvLEA'rOn;

a resident'of. Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and Stateofinvented anew and useful Improvement in Resilient Driving Connections,of which the following is a specification. My'invention relates toresilient driving com ectlonsand particularly to a flexible gear wheelfor connecting the propelling way vehicles. 1

" One-object d myinvention is. to provide a' flexible gear wheel of thezibove-indi 'ate'd class in wl"c.h\ ,the resilient connectingmeans,Iwhich operatively associates the hub with. the run. member, lspositvely Insured aga nst llIlllllJGnlllOlltLl d splacement;

Another-object of mysnvention & to pro} vi'dfii resilient drivingconnection which shall utilize the centrifugal force of the rotatingparts and the spring pressure exerted against the sides of thespring-retaining pockets fol-holding the springs-in place,

A further object of my invention is to provide a resilient drivingconnectionwith a grcatercapacity for spring material, therefore, agreater operating rangc, tl\an those heretofoleproposed. v

A further objectof my invention is to provide a tool, by whichthesprings may be readily removed by the application of a force inalateral direction relative-to the driving connection. a

Heretofore, it has been found necessary to provide tongues onth e-springseats, and cooperating grooves in the ends of the spring-retainingpockets of driving connections for preventing lateral displacement ofthe springs, or to equip the gear. with side plates, to. retain thesprings in place. Such structures require expensive machining and cmbodya number of unnecessary parts.

. My invention provides aspring scat which cooperates with a groove orflange in the rim to hold the spring in place, and the drivingconnection is so constructed that disfplaccmcnt of the spring isimpossible without considerable bending of the spring.

Shccts 1 and ,ifof "the accompanying drawing illustrate a resilient gcarwhccl embodying my invention. Figure l is a side clcvatioual vicw of therim mcmbcr: Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the linc Pennsylvania, haveand,

1; Fig. 3 is a side elcvatioiial view of the hub member; Fig. l isa'sectional view on the line of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side eleva'tionalView of the spring seat; Fig. (i is an end elevational view of thespringscat; Fig. 7 is a side elevational view, with parts sectioned and brokenaway; of the assembled gear wheel; and Fig. 5 is a sectional 'view onthe line 1ll\'lll of Fig. 7.

Sheets 3 and 1% show a tool for rcadilv-disassembling the gear wheel.Fig. 1) is bot: tom plan view of the tool; Fig. 10 is an endelcvationalyiew of the tool; Fig. 11 is a sectional side viewof the gearwheel showing the tool in its first operative position; Fig. 12 is asideview, partially in section and partially in elevation, oftlic toolapplicd as inl ig. 11; Fig. 13 is a sectional view otthe gear and tooljust prior to, thc rcmovatof the spring; and 'l igl-tis a side view,partially in section and partially in clcration, of the tool in theposition shown in Fig, 13.

The gear wheel shown in thc drawing comprises a rim mcmber 1, a lmbmember 2 and a plurality of tangcntiallv-disposcd s] )rings 3 and springseals 4- for rcsilicntlv connecting the hub rwmbcr to the rim mcuiber.The rim member 1 is provided with a plurality of inwardly projectingradial lugs- 5 and circumtercntial groovcs 7 which are cut into. theinner surface of thc rim membcr for a purpose,hereinafter scttortln Thehub inembcr has outwardly extending radial. lugs 3 which correspond.inangular position, to the lugs 5, are laterally spaced to admitthe lugs5 therelaatavccn and are and operativcly connect the rim mcmber -1 -to'the hub member The springs 3 are helical inform and areheldiii-tangential relation to the gear wheel by the spring seats 1!. Eachof the spring seats 4 has a flat. bearing surface which engages the endsof a set of cooperatinglugs 5 and (i and one 2-2 of Fig.

or more lugs 8 that engage the grooves 7'of the rim member 1 to preventlateral dis? placement of the swing members. Each pair of the springseats -l: is also proridcd with cylindr1cal lugs 9 which respectivelycntcnd into opposite ends of a spring 3 to position the same. 'lhclmbmember 2 is further providedwith portions lOwhich are of sufiicientradius to engage the springs 3 ust prior to the disengagement 0tthe'lugs 8 and the grooves 7. This insures that the r spring seats willnotbe displaced during the operation of the gear wheel by reason of the.are compressed/and inserted into the spring pockets and, when released,the pressure of the springs 3 againstthe spring seats. 4 forces thespring seats 4 into engagement .with the rim and causes the lug's 8 toenter the grooves 7 and thereby lock the springs in place. The divergingsides of the pockets with which the sp'ring'seats engage and thecentrifugal force of the rapidly rotating gear wheel cause the springseats t to be held firmly in engagement with the rim. member.

The application of a driving force to the rim '1 causes the rim memberto more relatively to the hub member until the springs 3 aresulliciently compressed to resist further relzitii'e 'movement of theparts of the gear wheel when the hub 2 will be rotated as in a, solidwheel.

The spring seats may be positioned at i greater radius from the gearcenter in a the use-ct a greater amount of spring n'iaterial and.consequently, provides a gear. 'wheel of greater operating capacity thangear wheel constructed in accordance with my invention than in gearwheels that have been proposed lieretoforeq Th s permits of typesheretofore proposed. A tool '20 has been provided with v vl ichtliespring 3 may be easily and quickly i eiiioi'edi, The tool 2Q comprises abladeflllwh ich is curved to fit.-

the inside of the: rim 1 and is provided withwedge-shaped edge port ons22 and lugs .23

' which extend oppositetv, and. outwardly gagement i th the from therespective bases of the wedge por-Q tions and a handle 24 by means ofwhich force is applied-to the tool.

In order to remove the spring 5 from the pockets, the tip of the blade21 is inserted between the rim member 1 andithc-spring 3 and forced iiia lateral direction; relatively to the gear wheel The wedgeshaped edgesof the blade 2i foii'ceth' v ally inward a ndmo I lie' .l ugs 8 out ofen- .t' lugs the 'disenga'gem p I 3 engages the-portion grooves 7, thesp pg 10 of the hub, a

' is shown in Figs. 13 and 14. It will, ther gear wheel.

combination with a hub member havinglaterally-spaced radial projections,and a rim hers; of connectin means engaging said in it and a pluralityof.integral"radialflpro "riii'" seats 4 radi Just prior to 8 withjthemember surrounding said {hub memberand' 1e emisoi the-spring are forcedradially inward, thereby bending the spring. After thej'spring 3 issuliiciently bentv to permit the j lugs 8. to be. wholly disengaged fromthe grooves'i, the lugs 23 of the tool-engage the spring'seat'sand forcethe same laterally from'the gear wheel. The step in the operation justprior to th lateral movement of the spring seats tore, be understoodthat the mere application of a lateral force upon the tool 21 will firstmove the springs radially inwardly and subsequently engage the springseats and move the spring structure laterally from the Although I haveset forth m invention?v as embodied in a simple and preferred form;

of resilient gear .Wheel, it should beundef-"f stood that the inventionis capable of ap plication to a great many types of'driving'i-ss;connections and should be limited only .by" thespirit and scope of. theappended-claim I claim as my invention:

'1. In a resilient driving connection the member having radialprojections disposed between said hub projections, said hubfand rimprojections being arranged insets, with 9-, pockets therebetween, ofresilient means for I conne'ctinglsaid .rim member to said hub. membercomprising a helical spring" and" seats for said spring having planebearing surfaces forengaging said springs and said radial pr f'ections.J

2. a resilient driving "connection, the eombination with'a hub member, arim meniher surrounding said hub member and ham ing a circumferentialgroove therein, and cooperating radial projections on said -m e'm--projections for resiliently-joining said in'emr' hers, said meansembodying lugs adapted to engage said groove to prevent displacement ofsaid connecting means.

3.51m a resilient drivingconnection, the

eoiiih nation with-a hubjmemb'er havin'gj'll,

plurality of radial projections, ;and an an: nular rim membersurrounding sa d; :hub member and hav ng annular-grooves former 11-5jections cooperating with, said hub -=p'r'oj I tionsto form pocketstherebetai'een', jof springs adapted to be inserted in said pockets toresiliently connect said rim and hub "members; and seats forsaidspringshaving' means engaging'g 'said {grooves 31in, the; rim I memberfor pieyenting""lateral-displacement of said sprihgs p 4. In iilfresilientfldriving connection, the-125. combination with fa huhmeii ber" havin a. pluiiality of radial/projections,- and a rim,

combination with a hub member pockets therebetween, of resilient meansinserted in saidpockets for connecting said rim to said hub membercomprising a s ring" and a'plurality of spring, seats, sai rim holdingthesame in'place.

5. In a resilient driving connection,

7 having laterally-spaced radial pr ojec'tions, and a rim member hivingradiallprojections dis vposed between saidfhub pro ections and anannular groovea saidj projections forming sets, with openings throughthe driving connection v between sai ent-ly joining said hub and rimmembers and embodying two retaining members having ridged surfacesmating with the interior surface of saidqrim member and engaging said ofsaid retaining" members. A

6. In a resilient driving connection, the

combination with a liubniember. having a plurality of radialprojections; and an annular rim member surrounding said hubmeinber and'having two annular grooves 4 .and a'plurality, lof integral radialprojections located between said grooves an ing with said hubprojections to formpockcts therebetweemof springs tangentially di s-'posed in said pockets and seats for said said spring seats havingportions springs, thereof forced into said grooves for preventinglateral displacement of the springs.

7. In a resilient driving connection, the combination with a hub memberhaving a,

plurality' of radial projections, and an an-' nular rim meii 'bersurrounding said hub member and having a plurality of radialprojectioiis coiiperating witlrsaid: liu-b 'projections to form pocketstherebetween and annular grooves located adjacent to:the-projections, ofsprings tangentially disposed in said pockets, and seats for saidsprings, said spring seats having means concentric withsaid rim memberand disposed in said grooves for preventing lateral displacement of saidsprings.

8; In a resilient-- driving connection the combination with a hubiiieiiibcr having a t,

o'f radial projections, and an an-- plurality nular riin 'iiieii'ibersurrounding said hub iiieiiibciand having a plurality of radial.pi'ojcctioiis coiipei'ating with said hub projtt'lllfll'ls to formpockets tlicrebetween, of spring tangent ally disposed n said pockets,arid seats for said springs. said run member having means on the innercylindrical surface thereof for cooperating with said spring- -seats toprevent lateral displacement of said' sp ri rigs.

9. In a resilient driving connection, the

-ombination with a hub member having a plurality of radial projections,and, an angroove toprevent lateral displacement nular rim membersurrounding said hub member and having annular grooves formed in it anda plurality of radial project-ions cotiperating with said hub.projectionsto form pocket/s therebetween, of springs tangentiallydisposed in'said pockets, and seats for said sp t e" prising two partshaving cotiperating radial pro ections, being "provided (1' sets, ofconnecting means inserted in said openings for-resili the projections onthe one part groove, the projections on the other part fitt ng into saidgroove, a plurality of tangentially-disposed helical springs, and springseats for said springs provided with means engaging one of said parts toprevent lateral displacement of saidsprings, the other ofsaid partsadapted to engage said springs to prevent said spring seats fromdisengagingsaid one part. 1

11. A resilient driving connection -comprising a hub member, a rimmember surrounding said hub member and provided with a circumferentialgroove therein, and connecting means interposed between said .-hub andrim members for resiliently joining the same,- said connecting meansembodymg a lugadapted tov engage said groove to prevent unintentionaldisplacement of 'said connectin means. 12, The combination with aresilient driving connection comprising a hub member having a pluralityof radial projections, a

l'llll meii'iber having radial projections adapted to coiiperate withsaid huh-projections to form pockets therebetween, helical springstangentially disposed in said pockets, .and seats for said springsadapted to engage said rim member to. prevent unintended displacement ofsaid springs, said springs being removable by a device iiiscrted betweensaid spring and said rim iiiembcrhaving means to force saidspringradially inward, and means to engage said spring seats to move the samelaterally, said "springs and seats being held in radiallyiiine 'niostposition during said lateral move 13. The

having a plurality of radial projections, a rim member having radialprojections adapted to cooperate with said hub projections to formpockets therebetween', and resilientconnecting means for joining saidhuh and rim iii'en'ibcrs disposed in said pockets and held in place byengagement with said rim member, said resilientconnecting means beingremovable by. moving the same radiallv inward and then laterally.

14. The combination with-a resilient. driving coiimiction comprising ahub member with a circumferential combination with a resilient drivmgconnection coiiipi'ising a hub member having a lurality ofradial'projections, a rim mem er having radial projections adapted tocooperate with said hub projections to form pockets therebetween, andresilient connecting means for connecting ing means being removable fromsaid pockets by 'loconnectin'g means. and said rim to disen gage the?same, and a lug-for moving said resilient connecting means laterally,'15. In a driving comiectiom' the combination with a rim memberand a hubmemberhaving angularly-spaced interfitting radial-parts, of means inthe, spaces between said mterfitting parts for operatively connectingsaid members, one of said members having one or more annular groovesadapted to receive portions of said connecting means to restrain lateralmovement of the latter.

16. In a resilient driving connection, the

combination with a rim member and a hub member having angularly-spacedinterfitting radial arts, of means in the spaces betyveen saidinterfitting parts for resiliently connecting said members, saidconnecting said hub to said rim member, said connectfrom said 7engagement a tool having a tapered blade adapted to be inserted betweensaid resilient means comprising springs and seats for the springs havinglug's one of said members so being recessed to receive said lugs torestrain movement of saidconnecting Imeans latererall with relation tosaid rim and hub mem rs said lugs being withdrawable with the recessed'%member by forcing the springs radially in wardly.-

17. In a resilient driving connection, the combination with a rim memberand a hub inember having angularly-spaced i'nterfit- 40 tingradially-projecting parts, of meansin the spaces between saidinterfitting parts for resiliently connecting said members, saidconnecting means comprising helical springs and seats of said membershaving annular grooves therein disposed parallel to, and on opposite'sides of, the radially-projecting parts thereof, said grooves beingadapted to receive the lugs on lateral movement of the resilientconnecting means.

In testimony whereof I ,have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th dayof Sept.

GEORGE M, EATON.

for the springs having lugs, one

said spring-seats to restrain the V

